Article carrier



H. W. FORRER ARTICLE CARRIER April 2, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July17, 1961 FIG.6

FIGA

FIG]

INVENTOR.

HOMER W. FORRER iwf/MQ 71W l ATTORNEY Y April 2, 1963 H. w. FoRRl-:R3,083,865

ARTICLE CARRIER Filed July 1'?, 1961 s sheets-sheet s IN VEN TOR.

HOMER W. FORRER ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,083,865 ARTECLZCARREER Horner W.. Ferrer, East Point, Ga., assigner to The MeadCorporation, a corporation oi @hie Filed .lilly 31.7, wel, Ser. No.124,405 1 Claim. (Ci. 22h-113) This invention relates to anticlecarriers and more particularly to an article carrier having integralshallow, medial and transverse partitioning elements and separatecushioning partition elements for substantially increasing the depth ofeither or both the integral medial and transverse partitioning elementsthereby to provide additional protection between adjacent articlespackaged in the carrier.

In rny Patent 2,537,452, issued lanuary 9, i951, and owned by assigneeof Athis invention, a sturdy and reliable carrier is disclosed which isconstructed of a single paperboard blank and which is specially adaptedto keep board waste at a rrriniinnrn. This type of carrier can bemanufactured in quantity at reasonable cost and is particularly `suitedor use with certain articles `to be packaged such, dor example, as sof-tdrinks, and is commonly referred to as `a strap style carrier due to theshallowness of its transverse partitions.

ln rny Patent 2,688,421, granted September 7, 1954, and owned by theassignee of this invention, a carton is disclosed and claimed which issomewhat similar to `the carrier disclosed and claimed iu Pat-cnt2,537,452. The carrier `ot Patent 2,688,421, however, is of the typewherein the medial and transverse partitions are substantiallycoextensive, with the carrier side Walls and is therefor commonly knownas a full dept. type of carrier. As will be readily apparent, theso-called 'full depth carrier is of a more rugged construction than theso-called strap style carrier and naturally is more costly toinanuiacture.

l have found that the additional material required to maize -a Vlulldepth carton according to niy above rnentioned Patent 2,688,421 isneeded primarily .for its partitioning -function vand only secondarilyto aord strength and rigidity `to the structural support elements of thecarrier. Stated otherwise, the carrier of any Patent 2,537,452 can beconstructed generally along the lines of my Patent 2,776,072, issuedJanuary l, i957, and owned iby the assignes oi this invention, `and whenso constructed adequate support tor heavy duty service is provided andthe only further `feature that is needed is to provide partitioningmeans which acts to cushion adjacent articles from each other.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a sturdy basiccarrier structure which is adapted for ordinary carrier service and inaddition, to provide cushioning partition means yfor rendering the basiccarrier suitable for heavy duty service.

Another object ot this invention is further to standardize carrierdesign so as to eirect substantial cost reductions in the manufacture ofcarriers generally and at the same time to provide a carrier which issuitable "for more than one type of service.

The invention in one for-rn yas applied to a carrier for a plurality ofsimilar articles comprises a handle, a pair of partition strips integralwith the handle and with the adjacent side Wall and interrelatedtherewith along fold lines, an auxiliary panel forming a part of thehandle panel, an `auxiliary cushioning partition having a pair of panelsarranged respectively to form downwardly extending continuations of saidpartition strips, `and a third panel arranged to .forma downwardlyextending continuation of said auxiliary panel, and fastening means suchas glue for interrelating said cushioning partition and the carrierstructure to hold the cushioning parti-tion in position.

While it is preferable to construct a carrier according to pice thisinvention from paperbord, it will be understood that other materials maybe used, suoli, for example, as plastic substances.

For a ybetter understanding of the invention reference may be had :tothe following detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which PlG. l is a perspective view of a carrierembodying the invention; FIG. 2 is a side View of the carrier depictedin FlG, l; PEG. 3 is a cross-sectional View of the carrier depicted inFlGS. l and 2 and taken along the line indicated .at Sw in FlG. 2; FlG.4 is a plan view of a paperboard blank `troni which the carrier withoutits aux ry partition is formed, ie., from which a str p style carrier isformed iaccording to this invention; FEGS. 5-9 inclusive depictprogressive stages through which the blank of FlG. 5 is passed informing a strap style carrier according to this invention; HG. l() is aplan View of an auxiliary element by which a strap style carrier isconverted to a i'ull depth type carrier in accordance with thisinvention; FlG. ll is a view of the blank depicted in Fl'G. lil fromunderneath and after the iirst folding operati-on and in which llG. l2is a fragmentary View taken on line ll-ll of FlG. l.

With reference to the dra-wings `and particularly with reference to.FlG-S. l, 4 and 5, the numerals l and .7, designate side Walls of thecarrier While the numerals 3, d, 5 and e denote end panels. End panels 3`and 4 are foldably connected with `side wall l along fold lines 7 and Srespectively While end panels 5 and o are foldably connected with sidelwall 2 `along told lines 9 and itl respecf vely. Folds-.bly joined tothe Ibottoni edge il ol side well 'l is ybottoni panel generallydesignated by the numeral `l2 and which `is provided with a medial `foldline l. Also foldably joined along the `fold line ld to the bottom Wallof the side 2 is a fastening generally designated at i5. iFoldablyjoined `along the fold line le to the end panel Il is a riser panel inthe forni of medial partitioning support lenient i7. Similarly, riserpanels in the form of medial partitioning support elements lll, i@ and2li are oldably joined yalong lines 2l, 22 `and 23 to the end panels 5,o and 4 respectively.

The handle structure of the carton blank depicted in FlG. 5 is sini arto that disclosed and claimed in my ab ve mentioned Patent 2,5 37,45 2fand comprises two pairs of telcscopically arranged panels designed inFiG. 5 oy ythe numerals 2d, 2e and 27'. Certain numerals are applied -toFIG. 5 `and certain other numerals are shown on FiG. 5 `to preventcrowding. The panels 2d- 27' are generally similar to their overallarrangement and therefore only one of such panels will be described indetail, it being deemed desirable to point out, however, that the handlepanel 2d is ioldably joined to the handle panel 25 along the inedialfold line 2li while fthe handle panel 25 is oldably joined to :thehandle panel 27 along the coincidental told line 29. Panel 2li isseparated troni panel 25' along a cut line 3% while panel 2e isseparated ytroni panel 27 along a cnt line 3l which coincides with linePille outline of any one `of the handle panels follows that for panel2d. T he panel 2li inay be donned by the points A, B, C, l2, il', E, E',`and F so that the area enclosed by th lines connecting these points A-Fdefines lthe one handle panel .which is disposed in a flat plane. LineA-B is a cut line eparating handle panel 2c from end panel 5. Similarly,line C-D is :a cut line separating partitioning strip 3?. from an edgeor" handle panel Z4 while line D-E is a eut line a part of wl ichcoincides with line 31d and which separates panel 2afrorn panel 2S. B-Cis a fold line whereby the partitioning strip 32 is toldably connectedwith handle panel 2Liwliile line G-H is a told line along which thepartitioning strip 32. is foldably joined with the side Wall 2.

For the purpose of enabling the carrier to be readily grasped -by `thehand of the person carrying it, aperture 33 `is provided in handle panel24.

In similar yfashion hand hold aperture 34 and llap .35 adjoined to panel25 `by fold line 36 are provided. Hand hold apertures 437 and ap 33adjoined to panel 27 'by fold line 39 are provided in handle panel 27.

As is disclosed in my above mentioned Patent 2,537,- 452, additionalpartitioning strips 4t), 4l 4and 42 are provided and are interrelatedwith the other elements as described in detail yabove in connection withpartitioning stnip 32, it being Iunderstood that the strips 4G and 42 inFIG. 5 are shown in dotted lines because they are underheath the `foldedinserts depicted in FIGS. l0 and ll.

The panel elements 24 and 26 are telescoped over panel elements 25 and27 when the carton `is -forrned as will be described in detailhereinafter.

According -to a feature of this invention, an auxiliary pmel is providedin one of the hlandle panels, such as 26. Such auxiliary panel isdesignated in the drawings by the numeral 43 and -is separated fromhandle panel 26 along a cut line extending from the point designated Ito point I and `thence to points K and L. A perforated fold linedesignated by the numeral 44 is provided whereby the auxiliary panel 43may rbe folded downwardly.

The first step in forming a carrier according to this invention is shownin FIG. 5. During .this operation a cushion of FIG. l() is folded andsecured to strips 42 and 40. With reference to tFIG. l0 it Imay beobserved that the cushion comprises three panels 45, 46 and 47 formedfby yfold lines 4S Iand 49. Thus panel 47 is folded into hat contactwith panel 46 along fold line 49, the panel 47 being underneath panel 46is viewed in FIG. l0. As depicted in FIG. l1 the insert of FIG. l0 isturned over after the fold along line 49. The insert is then aiiixed tostrip 42, the stippled area 50 in FIG. ll being glued to the strip 42 sothat the structure then appears as depicted in FIG. 5. A sirnilaroperation results in affixing an insert to strip 40 as shown in FIG. 5.

The next step in @forming the carrier is shown in FIG. 6. rIhis stepcomprises folding the lauxiliary panel downwardly along the fold line44, it Ibeing understood that the auxiliary panel 43 is maintained inthedownwardly folded position due to glue indicated by stippling in FIG. 4.When so folded, the auxiliary panel 43 is disposed at the approximatelevel of the partition strips 32, 4d, 4l and 42, as will tbe apparentfrom FIG. 6. 'lf-hereafterl glue is applied to the blank depicted inFIG. 6 as indicated thereon bythe stippled areas.

The blank is `then folded as depicted in FIG. 7. Such a 'foldingoperation causes the end panels 3 and 5 to swing over the side panels land 2 along the fold lines 7 Aand 9 respectively. Simultaneously,partitioning strip 32 swings over along the top center portion 2A ofside panel 2 `along the fold line G-H. The partitioning strip 4l foldssimilarly. During this operation, the stippled area of panel 45 as shownin FIG. l0 is affixed to the stippled area of strip 4l as shown in FIG.5. Simultaneously strip 32 is secured to the other panel 45. Since A-Bis a cut line and B-C is a fold line, the above described foldingoperation causes the handle panel 24 to overlap the strip 32 partially`as depicted in FIG. 7. In similar fashion the corresponding end panel 3`and handle panel 2.5 are simultaneously folded over, it beingunderstood that the opening 33 coincides generally with the handgripping opening 34 land -the opening from which auxiliary panel 43 isstruck overlies and generally coincides `with fthe hand grippingaperture 37. The inner ends of panels 17 and '18 are secured to panels26 and 24 respectively adjacent the fold lines 16 and 21. Medial supportelements 19 and 20 are folded along their fold lines 22 and 23respectively.

Thereafter an application of glue is made to the struetfure as shown inFIG. 7 and subsequently the arrangement is folded along the medial foldlines 2S and 29 to the position indicated in FIG. 8. The stippled areasof the two panels 46 are secured together in this operation.

It will beunderstood that ythe lap panel 15 is secured along an edge ofthe bottom panel 12 to complete the carrier structure depicted in FIG.9, which figure shows the carrier in its collapsed condition.

As is Well known, the carrier is maintained in its set up condition bylocking notch 51 and its cooperating notch .52 as shown in FIG. 12.

While I havel shown and described particular embodiments `of theinvention, I do not wish to be limited thereto and intend in theappended claim to cover all such changes and inodilications `as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention..

What I clairn as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

An article carrier comprising a handle having two pairs of handle panelslin telescoping `face contacting relation, a pair of end panel-sfoldably joined to each end of said handle, `a pair of side Wallsfoldably joined at each end thereof to a different one of `said endpanels along the edge thereof remote `from said handle, la plurality ofpartition strips disposed in spaced relation between said end panels andeach being foldably joined at one end to a different one of said handle'panels and `at the other end to one of Isaid side Walls to form a `rowof article receiving cells on each side of said handle, an auxiliarypanel struck out of an inner one of said handle panels and foldeddownwardly toa position which is generally coplanar with the otherhandle panels and whichextends between the adjacent ends of saidpartition strips, and a cushioning partition structure interposedbetween adjacent partition strips on each vside of said handle, thestructure on one side of said handle having a first cushioning panel inabutting rface ycontacting relation with a complementary structure onthe opposite side of said handle and with said auxiliary panel, gluemeans for securing said first cushioning panels to each other in facecontacting abutting relation and vto said auxiliary panel, a pair ofcushioning panels tfoldably joined along vertical fold lines to eachventical edge of each of said iirst cushioning panels, and glue meansfor securing each one of said pairs of cushioning panels to the opposedfaces of adjacent strips.

Arneson Apr. 17, 1962

